Embrace my night: Chapter 7

Sammy Hoffman sleep curled on the bench in the enclose section in the back of the garden. Earlier in the morning she steps from the bus finding her way towards this house that drew her like a magnet. Everything she did is on pure instinct.

Her eyes open but her body stays motionless. The image so tangible was gone. Every time she closes her eyes she found them lurking in the shadows of her mind; one has the essence of a threat, the other is pulling onto her heartstrings.

The back door suddenly creak opened. The woman who appears seems startled into paleness when she sees her coiling from the bench.

“Sammy!” she whispers shocked.

“Good morning!” she smiles concealing the fact that she didn’t have a clue who the woman is or how they were connected.

“When did you arrive?” She stays rooted within the open door.

“During the early morning,” Sammy watches the various emotions playing so fast across her face. The woman certainly was flabbergasted.

“How,”

“The main liner,”

“You should have called your godfather. He could have gone to get you at the depot.” the woman seems unable to move away from the interior of the door.

Sammy deducted from her spoken words the woman must be her godmother then. Nevertheless she treaded carefully, concealing whatever is mingling within her. She just has an instinct she can’t explain to herself at the moment.

“Come in Sammy. I don’t know where my head are. You must be hungry and thirsty. I see you are still pickling that rucksack everywhere. The tour must have been successful. You must tell me all about it.”

“Everything was amazing. Once I am rested we should have a serious sit-down for an in-depth chat.”

Sammy picks up her rucksack following her inside.

“Go to your room and shower while I prepare breakfast.”

Sammy nodded curious as to what her name is. Again, instinct warns not to question her in that form. Leaving her in the kitchen she wanders slowly down the passage confused as to where her bedroom might be.

“Why are you didling about? Here let me help. It’s clear that you are very tired.”

Sammy follows without making it obvious she didn’t have a clue. The moment she steps into the bedroom though, she just knows it was hers. The woman leaves her alone closing the door behind her. She searches the room quickly to familiarize herself with it, finding it still innocent but with her also standing on the doorstep of adulthood.

Sammy reaches for her rucksack that was dumped in the middle of the bedroom floor. Moving towards the bed she opened it and retrieved a clean T-shirt, fresh underwear and a pair of faded jeans. She places the items onto the bed and made a curious point of strapping her rucksack closed again. Going towards the door she opened it. Intending on searching for the bathroom she was halted in her steps.

“Harold, she is back. What are we going to do now?”

The woman nodded while listening to her probable instructions. She replaces the receiver looking over her shoulder shifty before going into the kitchen. Sammy carefully slips back deeper into the passage. While the woman is out of sight, she did a quick survey about the design of the house.

Apart from her bedroom there was another, apparently a guest bedroom. The big spacious bedroom a couple of doors from hers seemed to be theirs. There seemed to be only one bathroom but she can be mistaken. One might be en-suite within the bedroom.

Going back into her bedroom she shut the door and goes to sit on the side of the bed. Within the confines of her mind she is building a puzzle box. Finding herself lost in Cape Town, instinct showed her the path to this house. Could she just be over-tired or was something amiss here? Is it safe to stay here?

Sammy sits there carefully thinking about what she just learnt in the last couple of minutes. She came home but was it home?

First, the woman in the kitchen was shocked seeing her.

Second, who was the woman? She suggested she was her godmother.

Third Uncle Harold and she have objections about her return. Whatever was going on here, she was raised in this house and she felt certain.

Sammy slips from the house, practically sneaking away from the woman who was over loading her with attention. The interrogation of her traveling through the country was too intense to her liking. It sometimes felt like the woman was on a fishing trip.

Finding herself in the middle of the street on impulse she simple runs the length reaching the middle of the town. Just like the house, a small building was pulling her closer. Moving towards it she just knew where to find the second key to unlock the place.

“Whoever you are show your face. This is private property.” The voice is annoyed with the apparent intrusion.

Sammy lifts her head from behind the worktable.

“Angel face, it’s a miracle. You are back.” says the man with a smile.

Sammy found her being hugged. The warmth coming from the man fills her with joy. A little laughter bursts from her lips. She instantly likes the man.

“Who are you?” she asks before she realizes the consequences.

He become as still as a motionless statue watching her with intensity that leaves her vulnerable but instinctively she feels safe with him too.

“Who are you, miss?” he queries carefully.

“Sammy Hoffman.”

“If you truly are her, you would know my name.” His intense eyes didn’t wavered once, nor did her direct look.

“Pieces of my memory is gone this last couple of days.” She confided knowing her truth is safe.

He lock the door, takes her by the hand leading her into the small kitchen. She sits down unaware to herself, in her favourite chair. He makes two cups of tea and handed her a muffin.

“My name is David. Once upon a time, I was the local bum. As a child you fell from your bicycle hurting your knee. I helped you back onto your feet and you helped me back into life. Since that day I have been working with you. Together we are the local designers. You own this curio shop.”

Sammy carefully closes the bedroom door behind her breathing deeply. Since returning from her curio shop, the warmth of family drive her into herself, she found her closing off, covering her emotions, her feelings. She figured out both their names in the meantime, Harold and Margie Jones. They were her godparents. When she tries to question them about hers, they simply changed the subject leaving her with the impression they raised her. This notion didn’t sit well on her shoulders.

She is hesitant undressing within the confines of the bedroom she knows to be hers. Knowing the night would be uncomfortable she prefers to stay fully clothed while lying down on the bed. Her eyes close and tiredness from her long haul from Cape Town as allow sleep to settle over her.

Sammy is sound asleep when the past slip into her unconscious mind showing a tableau of that which she is forgetting. Deeply within herself she recalls the hurt she was fleeing from but her consciousness wasn’t ready to acknowledge that which she has forgotten.

The memory is gentle in its sadness.

Sammy opens her eyes. First thing she notice was the white wall. Puzzled, she looks around. She is alone. Closing her eyes but the words and pictures is suddenly around her. Ignoring it didn’t help. The memory is soft in its clarity.

Her words came from afar but still she tries shutting it out. However she couldn’t resist the memory to play out.

“Mama, when it the new baby coming home?”

Her long hair was in a ponytail; her eyes watched her mother with open curiosity.

“Patience sweetheart,” her mother smiled.

“I am waiting hours and hours now, mama. When can I see the baby?”

“He will be here soon.” Her mother seemed so happy.

“Are you sure?” her expression was still doubtful.

“Yes sweetheart. Just wait.”

The door opened and in come her daddy, carrying a bundle of blankets that was moving and making sounds coming from there. She watched her parents with silly smiles curious to see who they are looking at. The blanket was kicking again. She goes and stands in the corner suddenly wanting to cry. Her mama however was holding her hand waiting for her to take it. When she did, she was pulled onto the bed allowing her to look within the folds of the blanket. The baby was pink face and big eyes watching her.

“Sammy; meet your brother, Danny.”

“He looks like a doll,”

Looking at her parents again, she sees they still have that goofy looks. Her brother was holding their fingers tightly.

Sammy wake with a smile, before she quickly climbed from her bed and run to the door.

On tiptoes she stands before she manages to open the door. She hears her brother crying, than she heard her mama singing her favourite song. Pouting she sits down listening to her. She fell asleep only to wake when her mama was taking her to bed singing also to her. She snuggled deeply underneath her covers.

She coughed in her sleep, feeling the remembered smoke from so long ago. She sees her climbing from the bed; everywhere she was looking she just sees smoke. Her mama and daddy were lying on the bed not moving. She looked at her fingers like mama taught her, and then she picked up the phone and called the police.

The fire is crying very hard around her and she was frightened. She hears the sirens coming but she was afraid no one would remember Danny. He was so small. Running to him she picked him up but he was heavy. She carries him down the passage but fell down a hole. Both of them cried but no one hears them above the crying of the fire. Suddenly it rains on them.

Sammy opens her eyes looking at the image that was so clear in her mind. Their pictures disappeared leaving her alone in the bed. Her face is wet with tears.

Sammy slips from the house, strangely cautious that her godparents not be aware.

Unlocking the door to her curio shop, she didn’t switch on the lights. Secure in her step she found her way to the back. Sitting down in her favourite chair she just sits there. It was the only place where she feels safe.

The moon peeks through the window shining onto her. Something shone on the worktable. Curious she move closer and pick up the necklace. It was a delicate made piece of jewellery. Her fingers brushed across the name.

“Charlie!” she whispers, happiness filled her heart when she remembered she was her cousin. Holding onto the piece she goes and sit in her chair again, frowning now. For the strangest reason she looked at her hand having the notion that there is suppose to be a ring on her finger.

Jumping onto her feet, she slips from and locked the shop running back home.